Page 31 | To ask what the most COVID bonkers thing you did about

Toanewstart22 · 17/01/2022 17:06

I wondered when the “Be Kind” brigade would be along.

It’s gone too far in my mind.

TheKeatingFive · 17/01/2022 17:08

but let's try and support them, not guilt them for keeping their children safe

I personally believe that it's better for all to acknowledge behaviour that's potentially harmful rather than tell everyone it's okay.

You react how you like.

OrinocoGlow · 17/01/2022 17:13

Isn't the point of this thread for people to acknowledge some of their actions were a bit OTT? We can all see that now but in the early days, we had a backdrop of hundreds of daily deaths on the news every day, horrible scenes in China, Iran and Italy plus other places (I can't remember all the details). Looking bad, it all seems a bit bonkers but people were only doing what they thought was for the best so there's no need to be too critical.

MiddleAgedKick · 17/01/2022 17:14

There's objecting to the #bekind nonsense, and then telling people their reaction to covid was ott / not ok.. and then there's "get your ass out of bed and take your kids for a walk - I'm a single parent too", which just sounds really thick headed and bullish. Just how it appears in my mind anyway

CorneliusBeefington · 17/01/2022 17:16

Dh was out working as security on public transport (including the airport) right from the beginning when there were no masks, hand sanitiser was like unicorn shit and social distancing was new.

The company he was contracted by locked the toilets so they couldn't wash their hands, refused to let the security staff into the depot to eat or use the toilets, and hoarded hand sanitiser and wouldn't let them use it. They lied to the public saying the trams were being fumigated and deep cleaned every 3 hours, this was a complete fabrication. Even when staff were spat at, coughed on and assaulted, they wouldn't allow them into the break areas to clean up.

He would get in from work after a 12 hour shift and strip off and put his stuff straight into the washing machine. He slept in the spare room. I got up in the morning and zoflora'd everything he might have touched and washed his uniform.

It's really easy to look back now and say we were being ridiculous, but the messaging was frightening. We were seeing the mess in Italy and China, and our own PM was basically saying let the bodies pile high. And they did pile high.

Toanewstart22 · 17/01/2022 17:19

@MiddleAgedKick

There's objecting to the #bekind nonsense, and then telling people their reaction to covid was ott / not ok.. and then there's "get your ass out of bed and take your kids for a walk - I'm a single parent too", which just sounds really thick headed and bullish. Just how it appears in my mind anyway

Bullish?

Yes, I suppose that is my response generally when shit hits the fan. No for m my sake, for my children’s.
Some luxuriated in the drama of it. Fact. And some of those that did luxuriate in it were parents.

And I think they let their children down.

No it’s not bekind but bekind seems to forget about the children in these homes

GranolaHolmes · 17/01/2022 17:20

@OrinocoGlow

Isn't the point of this thread for people to acknowledge some of their actions were a bit OTT? We can all see that now but in the early days, we had a backdrop of hundreds of daily deaths on the news every day, horrible scenes in China, Iran and Italy plus other places (I can't remember all the details). Looking bad, it all seems a bit bonkers but people were only doing what they thought was for the best so there's no need to be too critical.

That's what I thought we were being asked to share.

A whole other thread would be along the lines of "did you do all these things blindly without considering the effects on children" or "what did you do to mitigate the risks of mental health issues as a result of lockdown".

All very one sided to have a go at people based on the things they admit were OTT with hindsight and that only form part of a much bigger picture.

TheKeatingFive · 17/01/2022 17:23

Isn't the point of this thread for people to acknowledge some of their actions were a bit OTT?

The post that attracted most commentary explicitly doesn't acknowledge that and that's what people are reacting to.

peaceanddove · 17/01/2022 17:25

@DillDanding

This thread is quite shocking. I only know one person that went a bit bonkers about cleaning post and shopping and being nervous to go out.

But from this thread, it’s clear Covid panic really messed with many people’s mental health and its legacy might be felt by their children for their whole lives. It’s really sad.

I find it incredibly sad that so many children will have been exposed to such a damaging atmosphere of high anxiety at home for such an extended period.

And they will have picked up on the atmosphere. Children always do.

We all watched the same news. We all read the same articles. Many of us managed to not tip over into arrant nonsense.

AarghLessonsMustBeLearnedAGAIN · 17/01/2022 17:27

@TheKeatingFive

but let's try and support them, not guilt them for keeping their children safe

I personally believe that it's better for all to acknowledge behaviour that's potentially harmful rather than tell everyone it's okay.

You react how you like.

Eh? Supporting is not about telling people it’s ok Thank you , virtual stranger on the internet, for giving me permission to react how I like Much appreciated 🤣 Ooh and top tip - best to quote in full , not just in part 👍

Steelesauce · 17/01/2022 17:37

I literally didn't do anything crazy. Carried on as normal as possible. I didn't send my children into keyworker provision initially though, mainly as it was easier childcare wise (I broke the rules and my Mum had the kids while I worked) but after a few weeks I sent them.

I had some crazy stuff done to me though, I'm a lone parent and took my kids to the shop with me, I was getting daggers! I had one woman tut at me. The kids went into school the week after on keyworker provision and I did my shop alone again.

We were having a friendly socially distanced chat in the queue at a supermarket one day, I mentioned I was a nurse and the looks I was given! It was like I had the plague

The pandemic has really changed my view of people. All the lip service paid to us 'key workers' is all forgotten now. I don't think I'm the only health professional left with a bitter taste in my mouth.

MiddleAgedKick · 17/01/2022 17:40

@TheKeatingFive

Isn't the point of this thread for people to acknowledge some of their actions were a bit OTT?

The post that attracted most commentary explicitly doesn't acknowledge that and that's what people are reacting to.

I think that post you're talking about was also by granola? So she is admitting it was ott.

MiddleAgedKick · 17/01/2022 17:44

We all watched the same news. We all read the same articles. Many of us managed to not tip over into arrant nonsense.

Indeed, but we don't start from a level playing field in terms of mental health.

My sister is a psychiatrist and one of her patients for example, with no history of serious mh problems, ended up being admitted to the ward due to their fear of covid. It was right at the beginning and this person didn't have covid and didn't know anyone who had covid and died or anything like that. It had just triggered something and they were very unwell. One of the most unwell (in terms of mh) people my sister was dealing with at the time and quite unusual as no history of any problems.

It shouldn't take a genius to work out that some people did react differently and it may not have been a choice.

TheKeatingFive · 17/01/2022 17:48

So she is admitting it was ott.

She didn't in that post. She pretty well said the opposite

TheKeatingFive · 17/01/2022 17:49

Eh? Supporting is not about telling people it’s ok

That's exactly what people are asking happens on this thread.

Thank you , virtual stranger on the internet, for giving me permission to react how I like

You can do whatever you like, I'm not the boss of you. I don't have to agree with you though.

Toanewstart22 · 17/01/2022 17:50

There seems to be an abject refusal from some to accept that some parents let their children down by becoming utterly swept up in the drama and anxiety of it all.

some

No, I always has to be about mental health. Can never just be… some parents were too wrapped up in their high drama, high anxiety interpretation of the messaging to see the negative impact on their children.

MiddleAgedKick · 17/01/2022 18:12

@Toanewstart22

There seems to be an abject refusal from some to accept that some parents let their children down by becoming utterly swept up in the drama and anxiety of it all.

some

No, I always has to be about mental health. Can never just be… some parents were too wrapped up in their high drama, high anxiety interpretation of the messaging to see the negative impact on their children.

No, i don't think that's true of me. I do accept that there were some parents who amplified the drama for their own reasons. And also, sadly, some abusive and negligent parents who took advantage of everyone hiding away to abuse the children in their care. There is no refusal from me to admit that.

My only objection was your attitude about someone who could not get out of bed because they were crying so much over leaving their children motherless. Something that had not happened and that was statistically unlikely to happen. I'm not sure any sensible person would state with outright authority as you did that she should have been told to get her ass out of bed and take her kids for a walk, based on your 'expert' opinion as a fellow single parent. You may have guessed it right, you (more likely, sorry) guessed it wrong but are so self confident despite having no real reason to be (based on your posts...Fact!), that it caused you to be bullish. It whiffs of a bit of keyboard warrior getting their kicks from hammering other mothers, which is a thing I cannot abide.

The person you were talking about is not me and I didn't even see the thread, but I am compelled to say this, in the same way that you feel compelled to inform people when their behaviour is something you don't approve of. I'm sure you understand

Porcupineintherough · 17/01/2022 18:12

We may have all watched the same news @peaceanddove but we didnt all have the same experiences.

A person who was hospitalized or lost a loved one through COVID is likely to take a different view of the disease/vaccination/ new variants etc than someone who just experienced it as a mild cold. This includes children. My (then) 12 year olds most traumatic experience during the pandemic was being sent to the local shop by 999 to pick up the defibrillator because they were worried I was having a heart attack. He had to go because everyone else in the family was sick and not allowed out. That's not something I wanted for him, it was just shit that happened in April 2020.

GranolaHolmes · 17/01/2022 18:15

But if a parents mental health is improved or managed better by feeling they have choices in how they behave or feel in control then it's possible that they can parent better and not be living with anxiety.

My mental health was actually better for it.

Those OTT things helped me cope and do a decent job of parenting in a pandemic.

For the same reason I've spent the entire day hanging out with a 7yo with covid and let him sleep in my bed because I feel that it's more important he is cared for than whether I catch it at this point and I'm no longer anxious.

Things have moved on.

Hawkins001 · 17/01/2022 18:31

Use a debit card for shops, usually i prefer cash.

Whatthebarnacles · 17/01/2022 18:34

Telling MIL (who was living with us because FIL was shielding but she was a key worker) that I couldn't possibly nip to morrisons for ice cream until we needed more bleach so that it looked like a legal trip. Haha. #memories

peaceanddove · 17/01/2022 18:46

@MiddleAgedKick

We all watched the same news. We all read the same articles. Many of us managed to not tip over into arrant nonsense.

Indeed, but we don't start from a level playing field in terms of mental health.

My sister is a psychiatrist and one of her patients for example, with no history of serious mh problems, ended up being admitted to the ward due to their fear of covid. It was right at the beginning and this person didn't have covid and didn't know anyone who had covid and died or anything like that. It had just triggered something and they were very unwell. One of the most unwell (in terms of mh) people my sister was dealing with at the time and quite unusual as no history of any problems.

It shouldn't take a genius to work out that some people did react differently and it may not have been a choice.

Actually that's a very good point. I am incredibly pragmatic and just couldn't get worked up about a virus that, statistically, had a vanishingly tiny chance of hurting me.

But, yes I think you're right that Covid metaphorically ripped the plaster off many people's hidden anxieties - and allowed them free reign. It's so utterly sad and so unnecessary. I think the media deliberately & joyfully whipped up anxiety and angst with no thought for the damage it would cause long term

Delilah79544 · 17/01/2022 18:57

My friends birthday and wanted to nip to the nearest village to drop off her present, about 3 miles away. I packed a bag of groceries out my own cupboards just in case I was stopped I could say I was delivering groceries!! Dropped the present off, didn't get stopped so put all muy groceries back and that was that!

Northernlurker · 17/01/2022 19:03

Never mind terrifying scenes in other countries (and in New York, India and Italy there were certainly some pretty apocalyptic things going on). There were some pretty bloody awful scenes here too. In the early part of the pandemic, because of PPE shortages, hospital staff were told to spend as little time close to patients as possible. In some cases that meant delivering care then standing outside the room whilst somebody took their last breaths. That distancing has left a terrible scar on some nurses. People admitted to hospital even today with Covid are terrified and we can't save them all. Patients beg the medical and nursing staff not to let them die.

This last two years has been terrible. Beyond nightmares. I don't care what people did with bleach. Personally I clinell wiped my shopping after a conversation with microbiology at work about fomite transmission. Dd3 we really out for a daily walk and came back thrilled she'd patted a dog. I told her not to do that again. That was my personal nadir I think. But I thought it was what was needed at the time.

sweetbellyhigh · 17/01/2022 19:20

@Jay36

First off this is not a COVID denier thread.

But I’m wondering what was the weird things you did at the start of the pandemic because you were worried about CV. I’ll go first;

Left my shoes outside the house as was worried about bringing the virus ‘in’ in case someone had coughed on the pavement !

Bleached the door handles daily.

Feel like I was a bit crazy now 😂😭

We did this too because we were instructed to. People were also washing their groceries. I left mine in the garage for three days "to let the virus die" before putting it away. 😂